* Ambode * Source : pulse.ng
…Says Executive Bill To Regulate Employment Of Domestic Workers, Security Guards Underway
As part of efforts to make Lagos State safer, Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode today formally inaugurated the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps to compliment efforts of the Police to rid the state of criminals and other associated crimes.
This is just as he stated that a new executive bill would be sent to the State House of Assembly to regulate the employment of domestic workers and security guards henceforth.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Lagos,Ambode pointed out that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not in any way in competition with the regular Police Force, adding that they are expected to assist and complement the Police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities.
He commended the Nigerian Police for been very supportive to the administration in the last two years and for their immense commitment to fighting crime in the State but that the state has identified that due to its huge population and unique challenges, the Police need sour support to complement their efforts especially in areas of community policing, hence the Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
The state Chief Executive Officer, stated that on August 15, 2016,he assented to the law that created the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, adding that the Corps wass designed to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure our State and communities are more secure.
He added that in view of the fact nothing can be more important in law enforcement than educating those who enforce it, this crop of elite’ corps have been trained and equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to complement the good work of the Nigerian Police.
Ambode stated that in addition to the induction on orthodox community policing techniques, the corps have been trained in mediating disputes and the art of negotiating for peaceful resolution, balancing communal interest in resolving disputes and proactive policing engagement instead of reactive policing.
“Furthermore, in order to properly position members of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps for the challenges of securing lives and properties, we have invested heavily in providing them with state of the art equipment and accessories” The governor said.
On what the state has invested in the Corps to ensure they carry out their duties effectively, Ambode said, “177 Salon Cars/Vehicles equipped with necessary communication gadgets to be distributed across our LG/LCDA’s (3 per LG/LCDA), motorcycles with full rider’s protection kits such as helmets, knee and ankle guards to ensure their personal safety for each of our 377 wards across the State and 4000 bicycles to quietly patrol and engage our communities.”
He continued, the state has also provided, “Metal detectors for ensuring that illegal weapons are not smuggled into public places .Other operational equipment such as plastic restraints, batons, long range torchlights and whistle are provided.”
On state of the art communication equipment, the governor said, “We have revived the base and repeater communication stations in all the Senatorial zones of the State to ensure seamless communication, not only among the corps members, but also with the Police and other security stakeholders.
According to him, “Special hotlines have also been created direct to the Executive Secretary and senior management of Safety Corps agency for easy communication with our communities in the event of any crime. Any valuable information given to the Corps will attract handsome rewards from the State Government. I therefore call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final NO to crime in our State.”
All these eqiupment, he stated were made possible through the judicious use of tax payers money and funds from the State Lottery Fund for good causes, urging Lagosians to continue to pay their taxes for a better Lagos.
Ambode equally stated that that in order to further strengthen security in the state, a new executive bill would be sent to the State House of Assembly to regulate the employment of domestic workers and security guards henceforth, adding that this bill will prescribe regulations for these set of workers and other details to monitor their activities.
In his words, “There is no room for child abuse or under-aged workers. It has been discovered that domestic workers are largely undocumented and pose a grave security threat in the State. The recruiting agencies must be licensed and regulated henceforth. Our safety is now non-negotiable. “
He hinted that through this Safety Corps initiative, the State Government has created over 7,000 jobs for officers of the Corps, artisans and other support staff, stressing that job creation is at the heart of economic prosperity and that the state remain fully committed to a more prosperous Lagos for its citizens.
